


The Promise

by Guyvantic_Guyver



Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: F/M, Keith's father - mentioned, Lotor - mentioned - Freeform, Quantum Abyss Space Whales - mentioned, Ryner - mentioned, Weblum mention, Zarkon - mentioned - Freeform
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-07-07
Updated: 2020-07-07
Packaged: 2021-03-04 22:35:10
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 9,213
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25133998
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Guyvantic_Guyver/pseuds/Guyvantic_Guyver
Summary: This is a story based on a scene from my Kacxa-Week 2018 story "The Future" used terms from my Kacxa-Week stories and a new term.I wanted to show the progression from Kallura (which as an OG Voltron fan I so desperately wanted to continue) to how I saw his relationship with Acxa grow to something that could have been the best thing for Voltron.I looked at the context of both Keith & Allura's interactions and Keith & Acxa's and did my very best to articulate what I saw. I did change and add some things to the canon, especially something I know a bunch of us wanted to see when a certainMOMappeared in the series.Terms:Jhuk' uhn' dac - Female Life MateGrek' uhn' dak - Male Life MateNamida - Quantum Abyss Space whalesTlvdatsi Wolf - self-explanatoryGrelok'ore - Term I just made for the Galra afterlifeAny italic words are either terms, inner thoughts, remembered conversations, or overheard conversations.Was originally going to post either the day before or on my birthday next Friday but decided I can't wait that long :D I hope you enjoy this fic as I have enjoyed writing it!
Relationships: Acxa/Keith (Voltron)
Comments: 13
Kudos: 20





	The Promise

HIM:  
What was it about her that made her so attractive to him? Was it because she was dangerous and could have killed him countless times over? Was it their "Warrior's Respect" or "bond" as Kolivan had suggested? Or was it something else? Something he couldn't pinpoint in his chaotic mind...

In a week, they had started growing close to each other, not that he cared. She was the most beautiful person he had 5rzseen in his life. None of the girls at the Garrison or on Earth could compare. She was kind, always willing to help others even at the risk of her own safety, and they worked well together. 

Ever since the Arusian celebration, since she caught him smiling warmly at her, they have periodically caught each other stealing glances from each other. He learned that of all of the Paladins, she was hard on him the most because his lion belonged to her father, something else which reminded her of him… He made it his mission to honor her father’s memory at the Red Paladin.

Then... **IT** happened. Everything piled up so fast he couldn’t cope with it.

He fought a druid getting injured in which his hand took on a purple tint, something the druid had cocked his head at during the climax of their encounter before Pidge saved his hide. Not long after, even Zarkon had sensed something in him during their fight, which prompted the Emperor to make a prophetic comment. Nightmares had also started plaguing him after their encounter with a Rebel Galra named Ulaz, who wielded a bladed weapon with a similar crest to the one on his very own knife...

Then his world was turned upside down and started spinning out of control. Spinning from the revelation that he was a legacy member of the Galra Resistance Cell known as the Blade of Marmora. But also the injuries he had sustained during his trials, but also the anxiety of facing her. They had been growing close to each other over the past group of weeks. How would she handle this bombshell… how would any of them hand this bombshell at that? She hated the Galra with every ounce of her being.

Surprisingly all but one took the bombshell quite well. His fellow humans had their questions, almost similar to when she revealed her chameleon ability. Coran had said he already knew because of scan the Castle did when they first arrived but felt it wasn’t his place to bring it up. Lance made his snide jokes but suspected something from the hanger bay in the Balmera, even mentioning how his jacket looked like Sendak's armor... which no one ever noticed until then. But her reaction was shocked at first, but shock cleared away to quiet rage.

She, after all, had to maintain a diplomatic image with their new allies. After she had gotten a report from Shiro, learning what had transpired, she didn't even want to lay eyes on him. He could see the hate in her eyes when he did catch her looking at him. Had it been anyone else but her, he wouldn't have given two damns about it. But she... she was different. He could be himself around her and feel at ease, and now he felt as alone as ever. He WAS alone... no one could understand the turmoil he was going through. The line that divided them from good guys and bad guys started to blur, and he was the epicenter. Everything started spinning in his mind again as he got caught in his thoughts.

Everyone seemed to surround the hologram of Zarkon's ship, discussing the plan. But he stood away from the group. No one seemed to notice, just her. He was far away from the group but could hear the hatred in her voice directed towards Kolivan. He started getting lost in his thoughts once more and almost missed what mission he was going to be part of. When asked if he was feeling alright, all he said was "fine" before walking away. He was so caught up he wouldn't have been able to tell who talked to him.

Then he met her... on the mission inside the gut of a Weblum. Well, he wouldn't find out she was a she until later. But she had come into his life at a crucial time. Even though she was the enemy, they helped each other out and worked together. 

The moment he held her hand, helping her out of her ship, he immediately felt butterflies in his stomach. When working together, She had inadvertently shown him that not all Galra were as ruthless as everyone made them out to be, even though she did pull her blaster on him, and his temper regretfully got the better of him. 

After the fall of Zarkon the first time, he seemed to get back on track with Allura. But his and the Lady-Galra's paths crossed many more times over the next group of months. Some encounters when he was with the Voltron-Force, others when he was on Blade missions. Each mission he encountered, this unknown, nameless Galra female, the more she started to chip away his feelings for the other. 

Then the cluster fuck known as the Kral-Zera happened. The last time they saw each other face to face. He became reckless in his fight, and she risked being branded a traitor by saving him. She had even shot him a look which for the most part told him she was pissed at him but was there something else in that look... he couldn't tell or was sure about it. 

However, her glare had not gone unnoticed from his fellow Blade Members and her Comrades...

HER:  
What was it about him that intrigued her so much? Any other person she'd have killed on the spot, but what made him so…. **DIFFERENT**?! Their paths seemed to keep passing over and over again since they met in the Weblum. Maybe it was because he was another mixed breed like her? Perhaps because he was the first to treat her as a person and to an extent, not the enemy? 

It had started with a loud thud that not only shook her awake but also shook her modified fighter. She had lost track of how long she had been in the Weblum, just that it had started growing veins and capillaries around her ship. His suit was different from hers, where hers focused on Black with clashing his armor colors white with colors that suited each other. In certain spots, he had the color of red on his helmet, shoulders, gauntlets, knees, ankles, and across his chest.

What surprised her, even more, was he didn't move on even though he didn't know her, or tried to kill her where she would have. He showed her an act of compassion and kindness by helping her out of her ship. His grabbing her blaster was a minor inconvenience, but it also caught her attention. It worked in his hands... meaning one thing only. Once they had an understanding, they watched each other's backs and worked together. She even heard the fat one in Yellow refer to him as "Keith," and "What do you all know each other" which she caught a "Don't start glare" from this Keith. Even though they worked well together completing their missions and nearly died together, they went their separate ways after "Keith" shared some bitter parting words.

Their paths crossed again, where she and her team surprise attacked Voltron and stole the interdimensional comet from the Voltron-Force. Something she felt was dishonorable ad a coward's way. Again in the Ulippa System, where she fought against him. They looked at each other face to face for the first time they recognized each other and grappled. During which, she noticed his weapon was Black and not Red like the last time. The two teams fought to a stalemate and retreated to their "ships." The paladins returned to their lions, and her team recovered what they were sent to retrieve. Acxa was ordered to commit another offensive attack shooting Voltron in the back. 

After thaturing one of their crossed paths, she managed to plant a bug on him. She heard him talking to the fat one, the one called Hunk. Mostly about her, and how she compared to others. Even listened to the one he called Hunk ask him a question Keith didn't have an answer to _"Why'd you go easy on her man?"_ She also heard the fat one say jokingly, _"You have a thing for her don't you?"_ heard him sigh, but not out of annoyance. _"Dude, why? Do you two even know or spoken to each other?"_ There was a tense silence for a couple of seconds _"Yes. You can spend your entire life with someone and hardly know them or meet a stranger and just like that... "_ she waited eagerly _"...get them."_ She heard the fat one chuckle, _"I understand man, I understand all too well with Shay."_ She listened to his voice again _"Just please don't tell anyone... ESPECIALLY HER!"_ Acxa heard the fat one yet again, _"Afraid of Allura's reaction?" "Yeah! She hated my guts when she learned was half Galra. We just started getting along again, what she going to think if she finds out I have a thing for a beautiful half Galra like me?!"_

But this Red Paladin had earned her attention. She wanted to know more about him. Why he was unkillable to her and why she was so intrigued by him. When she looked at him when their paths crossed, something about him seemed to call out to her, calling to something she had buried so long ago. 

She crossed paths with him many other times. Mostly when he appeared to support the Blade of Marmora and many other times which they started learning of each other. In which she felt him remove each Keltarian Armor plate away from her heart. She learned that even though he left the team, he would always confide in the one called Hunk. Made sense, Hunk seemed to not be bothered with the fact he was part Galra even made the jokingly comment "What do you all know each other."

The last time she saw him face to face - so to speak was when he followed her through a wormhole in Black. They had engaged in a dog fight, which neither wanted to truly fight one another, knowing they didn't want to fight but had to make it look otherwise. When ordered to do so, she pulled off her attack when he was dead in her sights.

The last time she saw Black lion was when Voltron fought Lotor in the Sincline, after being ejected from Sincline and landed on an asteroid. The brutal battle tore many holes in the fabric of space but didn't know who would win. Both seemed relatively equal. But she knew who she wanted to win; she had to hide it well. 

Then... **IT** happened... Voltron reappeared out of a rift briefly. There was a brief discussion on what to do - try and get their help? Try to take the Castle over? Sendak was able to with Haxus... or do they wait for a ship passing by and take it over? 

But what happened next nearly broke her. The Castle seemed to be fighting to break free of a rift sucking it in, only to explode with no trace of the lions... no sign of him. The explosion sealed the breach, saving the Universe.

She collapsed to her knees, trembling while her companions looked on in shock. Her companions looked to her for guidance but watching the explosion broke her. She was always the stoic one of the 4 of them, but now she was the furthest away from being that fearless General she once was. The beefy one looked to the agile red one who just shrugged, "she didn't know." She had a suspicion, but nothing concrete.

3 Years later:  
The Anniversary of the battle and the destruction of Voltron was coming up. Another bitter year in which things continued to go to shit in their absence. The already fractured Galra Empire fractured apart even further as Warlords battle each other for power. Sendak, the second most powerful man of the Empire, was nowhere to be found with his allies. 

The Voltron-Coalition was struggling to keep the fight going in the name of the Paladins. Even the Blade of Marmora seemed to have disappeared during a massive battle to defend a planet. Things kept getting worse and worse in the Universe by the day.

She sat on her bed in her makeshift shelter in just her flight suit. She looked to the exit, it was raining again, for what must have been the 12th day in the row. Even with the fire raging, her shelter was bitter cold. Her blaster sitting within arms reach. She looked around at her meager possessions as if to take in the sights one last time. It was night now, as she laid down on her bed, holding it in her hand ready for anything, for there was no guarantee she would live until dawn. The predators favored night conditions on this Planet. She would know, because of them and their lack of fear, she couldn't get a decent amount of sleep. 

The Coalition posted her here on a shit hole of a planet to gather intel Warlords. Whether it was to test her to see if she genuinely changed or for vendetta reasons to make her life miserable, she had to put up with the hand she had been dealt with. But she was so exhausted, exhausted from moving around in secrecy to avoid detection, keeping the predators at bay, or simply not having him.

She was nearly asleep when the radio crackled to life. At first, it was nothing but static, causing her to stare at it for a couple of seconds before rolling on her side, facing away from it. The static usually would go away after a few seconds, so she closed her tired eyes. But her ear twitched, there was something else. Something faint and a little familiar, but there was something there.

The look of tired despair disappeared when she heard a voice come over the radio loud and clear. She let loose a cheer of pure jubilation. She then realized everyone else in the quadrant heard it, so she had to act fast and get to them first before the others. If they did, then the three years praying even to see his face again will have been for naught. She passed the word on to her Coalition superiors that she had a lead she had to check into and prepped her fighter.

The ship violently rocked during Ezor and Zethrid's... interrogation of the Paladins, causing them to cut the interview short. When they were about to execute their plans of escape, the door flew open, revealing Allura's mice. Filling her in on what was going on, she glared at Keith before saying, "Acxa."

The look of surprise and concern on Keith's face said it all for Allura. There was something there between them. With her mice gathered, the group started making their way to where their weapons were stored. 

Each Paladin took a turn standing on point for each corridor they carefully cleared after gathering Coran. Almost every time Allura took a position, she wouldn't look at Keith, almost as if she were back to her old self after his trials. Something he didn't like but couldn't focus on until they were out of danger. Unbeknownst to them, someone else observed this.

After getting their helmets and bayards back, Keith ordered Lance to take the group and get to the lions. Before Keith could run off to get Acxa, Allura followed him and grabbed his arm. She voiced her concerns about going back for Acxa because it could be a trap. She was after all Lotor's Second in Command, she and the other two infiltrated the Castle to steal the Sincline Ships, among other reasons. But he simply told her that he had a life debt to pay off since the Kral-Zera and took off not wanting to deal with her shit. 

It was infuriating her even more as she regrouped with the others. After a brief battle, everyone made it back to their Lions. Shiro was with Lance. Coran with Pidge, Romelle with Hunk, and Krolia with Allura. But Keith was nowhere to be seen or heard. 

Krolia very cautiously entered the cockpit of the Blue-Lion. Something she never thought she would be able to do nearly 24 years ago. Had her son not gone after his future _Jhuk' uhn' dac_ , she'd be able to relish being in her ' _ **Old Friend**_.' But she had more pressing issues to contend with at the moment.

On My Command:  
Everything was spinning out of control fast. Both of them were just too strong for both of them. The one named Ezor seemed quicker and more robust than the Ullipa System incident. He had a hard time keeping up with her. He barely dodged a flying slip kick to pin up against a wall with his bayard blade inches from his own throat.

Even Acxa seemed to be having a hard time with Zethrid. The brute just kept tanking each blow she threw at her. She took a point-blank kick to the throat. Then a solid roundhouse kick to the midsection, then a punch to the kidney area - the chest area - and then a punch that transitioned into a hard elbow to the bottom part of the jaw, before getting two additional roundhouse kicks to the face which sent her staggering. 

When going for a third roundhouse, it was blocked, and a solid punch from the brute sent Acxa flying denting a door with her jetpack. Enraged, Keith’s eyes turned yellow briefly, and his skin a slight lavender. He used his jetpack and slammed Ezor into an opposite wall nearly 30 feet in the air before he could land and check on Acxa Zethrid rammed him. He collided into Acxa and through the door of what looked like a storage bay of some sort. His quick thinking, he grabbed Acxa and tumble over her sliding first into a sealed door full force and the full force of Acxa slamming into him.

With the other two standing outside the breached door like Jorelian Coyotes, their options were running out. They needed to think of something fast. "Is that what I think it is?"

Lance had ordered the Lions to go just beyond both the tractor beam and weapons range of Zethrid & Ezor's ship. Black was still floating away from the momentum of being sucked out of the airlock. Pidge was quickly tending to Coran, and Hunk kept a close eye on every lion's power levels and life support systems.

Allura still stymied that Keith went on his own to find 'HER.' The one whose actions contributed to the destruction of the Castle, but one who was still considered an enemy. In her mind, she couldn't be trusted and was luring him into a trap. She didn't notice Krolia had made it into the cockpit when she voiced, "What is it he sees in her?" Krolia sighed softly "If I may say so princess, he sees a kindred spirit in her. Something very few, even on Earth knows. Absolute acceptance. They are both half-breeds, so they are drawn to one another." 

Allura nearly jumped out of her seat when she heard Krolia's voice. "I have accepted him for being half Galra." Krolia gaze turned sharp but yet a warm motherly gaze, "Yes, but you inadvertently drove him into hers with your treatment of him after his trials." She saw Allura's eyes go wide, "How did you know of that?" Krolia is still looking at her, "Kolivan had informed me of it. I also saw it from my son's point of view from our time in the Quantum Abyss." 

Krolia then looked out the cockpit at the ship, "He had real feelings for you, you know. But you broke his heart in which she started to fill the voice." She saw Allura lower her head in slight shame, "Was that one of the reasons he left us?" Krolia placed a hand on her shoulder and looked down "It's not my place to say."

Seconds later, the radio in blue went on catching both women's attention. It was his voice, and there was a sense of urgency "Guys! Zero in on my location and fire on the ship!" Allura and Krolia looked at each other with weird looks, "Are you sure?" Allura typed on her holo-dash console. Strange looks went to worriment when they heard, "JUST DO IT!" 

The Green Lion fired first, then red, yellow, and then blue joined in. 

Keith had positioned himself behind her and wrapped his arms around her waist. She looked down briefly, feeling his strong arms around her, something that within her told her felt right. She had placed one of her arms on his, stroking it softly with her thumb—something which hadn't gone unnoticed to him, which he wanted more of if they survived this. 

They crouched down and, with his jetpack, lunged forward. As they flew through the air catching both Zethrid and Ezor off guard, Acxa shifted to wrap her arms around his torso. He activated his shield at the very last second as a wedge to force Zethrid and Ezor out of the way. 

Seconds later, a blinding bluish-white light cut through the ship where they had been holding up in resulting in an explosion. Both Keith and Acxa were caught in the vacuum of the sudden decompression and willingly flew into space, Acxa activating her helmet via her gauntlet. 

As they flew out of Zethrid & Ezor's ship hand and hand, they noticed the black lion flying towards them, opening its mouth. Keith repositioned himself, so he had his arms around Acxa again for when Black closed her mouth. Acxa closed her eyes tight and squeezed Keith as the mouth of the lion started to envelop them both and slammed shut. 

Allura was trying not to let Krolia see her seething seeing Keith and Acxa hand in hand floating in space. She let go of an annoyed sigh when he wrapped his arms around her. Krolia being as astute as a Senior Blade member should be could still see the rage, the jealousy, the hurt in her face. "We'll talk more later." With that, she left the cockpit to the mini lounge.

In a matter of seconds, the mouth was pressurized and filled with oxygen. The pathway to the cockpit was now available to both of them as Black turned and rejoined the other lions. In the cockpit, Keith greeted his injured wolf and took control of Black.

When Acxa saw the wolf, she was startled and surprised that he had a Tlvdatsi Wolf. Zarkon had hunted them nearly to extinction, wanting to learn the secret of their teleportative abilities. She sat on the floor next to the wolf, who whined in pain; she gently stroked his fur.

Over the comms came the voice of the one she knew as Hunk "Guy's we need somewhere to do close by to land and charge the lions! They can't take much more." A soft voice came from the floor, "I know of a place you can hold out." Keith looked at her as she typed on her gauntlet, "Go to Planet Verolgah-VI. You can lay low for as long as needed while they charge up."

Keith typed in the Planet's name and saw it was going to take 8 hours at their current levels to get there. Plotted a course, and everyone followed. He turned to face her and thank her for everything she had done, but she had fallen asleep next to his wolf. Stroking his fur gently, she had one of the most peaceful looks on her face.

The Lions landed on the desolate Planet she called home for the past year and a half. She showed them her living space in which she said they could hunker down for a bit as Hunk returned from gathering some fire. Lance sensing the tension was high in the room. “Wow, a lot has changed over the past few weeks.” Acxa couldn’t help but look at him puzzled “Weeks? What are you talking about?” Sensing something in her voice, Allura looked at her just as puzzled “The last time we saw you. You were fighting us alongside Lotor.”

Acxa looked at her with a shocked face "That was three decaphoebs ago. No one has seen you since your fight with Lotor." In a soft voice, "That's impossible." She turned to Keith and with a voice to match his "It's true."

She sighed, having everyone's full attention now she gazed into the fire. "After Lotor jettisoned us, we managed to make it to cover on a meteoroid. There we saw both Voltron and Lotor disappear. Eventually, Voltron reemerged... alone. But then there was an explosion, after that... nothing. That was three deca-phoebs ago." 

Lance was the first to voice what everyone was thinking "Whoa..." Allura looked to Acxa. "So as far as everyone else in the universe is concerned, Voltron has been gone for three deca-phoebs?" But before the Galra woman could answer Pidge activating her gauntlet spoke, "That explains the discrepancies in the star charts of our Lions. I thought they were off because of our inter-dimensional jumping, which I guess they were, in a way. Because when you think about it, that must have been the cause of the time slippage between our experience and that of the rest of the Universe."

Keith was still gazing at Acxa in a soft, gentle manner as Pidge explained things. Something that had not gone unnoticed by Krolia, who thought, _"Just like his father."_ Like his father, when she spoke of the Blue Lion, Keith looks at her with such devotion and admiration as she spoke, _"Shame his father isn't around to see that he has picked quite the looker."_

Allura also started realizing there was more than just a "Warrior's Respect or Bond" as he and Hunk passed it off as was giving scrutinizing looks. "So how did you end up here, helping us?" was said most gently. Acxa looked at him. Briefly, she could tell his eyes were asking something else before looking down at the fire "Zethrid, Ezor, and I were marooned on that meteor for days..." She barely remembered the time on it, being emotionally broken by the explosion. 

Everyone now looked at her, even Krolia, as she started telling her story. Unlike the woman sitting next to her, her looks were of a mother’s scrutinizing look at her son's potential mate—the son who she had just gotten back and seemed to be losing again to this woman. Acxa's every word and every movement being cataloged and secretly judged, deciding if indeed she were worthy of her son’s affection.

She had closed her eyes, trying to forget that shameful time in her life as a warrior in the Galra Empire. A time she contemplated ending it all, a final dishonorable act just to have a chance of seeing even smelling his scent in the afterlife. "Finally, a Galra ship came to investigate Lotor's last known whereabouts. We took it over. With Lotor gone, it was clear that there was a power vacuum in the Galra Empire. Zethrid and Ezor wanted to exploit that for their own gain... but I knew I had to find my own path. And it led me to you." She looked back up to him, her eyes trying to hide the hurt of the previous deca-phoebs. Sensing there was more but not wanting to push it at the current moment, Keith smiled warmly at her, saying the one thing that popped in his head: "Thank you... for saving us."

They held their gaze for nearly 10 seconds. Her eyes shifted to the scar on his right cheek. The last time she got a glance at him was when she stole Sincline-3. He had just entered the shuttle room when she started turning the ship and shot off. She averted her eyes from the scar, "I hope that this makes up, in some way, for the wrong I've done. I realize now as I did in that fight, that Lotor wasn’t the man I thought he was. He preached unity, but in the end, he sought only power."

Feeling sympathy for her, she followed Lotor's ruse blindly for nearly all her life, giving her a sympathetic look for the first time, "I understand how you feel. I fell for Lotor's lies as well." Acxa looked at Allura with a thankful look, noticing the one in Blue had a slightly annoyed then somber look at Allura. It seemed the mention of Lotor, especially her time with him, must have still been a bitter issue among them that had yet to be settled "I’ll do everything I can out here to help the Voltron Coalition."

Finally, grasping the situation, "Wow, so everyone that was helping us thinks we're dead." The look on his face and the blonde Altean was still one of shock. "Wait..." Everyone turned to face Pidge. "Wait. I haven’t been able to get ahold of my dad on Earth or Matt and the Rebels. What's happened to them in the last three years?" There was a change in Allura's face from worriment to contemplative, "And if Ezor and Zethrid became warlords in that time... what else has changed?"

Acxa returned looking to Keith there was an apparent tension between them that needed sorting out as he returned an all-knowing look to her. Keith snapped out of his gaze hearing, “So, what do we do now?” come from Lance. Lance was starting to feel a little overwhelmed by the look of his face. 

Keith crossed his arms,” First thing we have to do is get a hold of the Coalition or the Rebels. Acxa does your radio have the range to reach Olkarion?” Acxa looked at him shaking her head, “Not that range, it does have the range to hit an automated satellite which will broadcast it along to the next one until it hits a listening post or rebel ship.” Keith then turned, “Hunk, Coran I need you to go to that base we barely flew by. See if you can get some power to that base and get a message out. And while you are there see if you can salvage somethings to possibly help the lions.”

“Romelle, Allura. I need you two to go through the Lions. Make an inventory of what we have. Pidge, While Allura and Romelle are getting supplies, do a check on them. If anyone can think of an out of the box way to help charge them, you are that person. Shiro and Lance, lastly I want you to go to the base and while coordinating with Allura and Romelle see if there are any supplies left behind which may help us on our way to Earth. Food, water, medicine. If we can’t get a hold of someone we will every little bit as possible without shorting Acxa. Mom, stay with the wolf and comfort him, I’ll try to contact someone in the Blade.” Acxa looked a little sad as he stood up with the rest of the Voltron Force. “ We have a lot to do and little time to do it. We don’t know who is a friend and who is foe in these neck of the woods so let’s get to work!”

Krolia looked at Acxa and then to her son after everyone left to do their appointed tasks. “The wolf would feel more at ease with you comforting him as he rested and heals up. I will try to contact the Blades.” He started to protest, but his mother gave him an all-knowing look. The same all-knowing look she gave him asking who Acxa was. “Besides, You may be the leader of Voltron, but don’t make me pull rank on you as your mother and as a Senior Operative.” She winked at him before stepping outside. “ALRIGHT EVERYONE, he is remaining behind to take care of his wolf, I want a sit-rep in front of the black lion in one Varga!” 

The unbridled tension between the two was cut from his wolf whining. Keith walked over to the wold and sat down, stroking his soft but coarse fur. The wolf placed his massive head on Keith's lap and whined softly. Acxa got up and sat next to the two and also started stroking the wolf's fur, "How did you manage upon such a beautiful creature?" Keith smirked, "When Mom and I landed on a Namida Star Whale in the Quantum Abyss we saw a shooting star crash. We went to investigate and found this small pup in the crater surrounded by these crab-like creatures. Since then, he has been my responsibility." Acxa looked at him, trying to figure him out, "I heard stories of packs roaming the cosmos, that when they bond with someone that wolf will be loyal to the person for as long as they live." She continued to pet the wolf who let go of a happy grunt at her touches, "Well he certainly seems to like you. Besides Mom and Romelle he really hasn't let anyone but Pidge touch him."

The two of them sat in awkward silence for nearly ten minutes until Keith finally broke it, "Can I ask you something? You don't have to answer it if you don't want to." She looked at him and nodded. "What did Ezor and Zethrid mean by their comments?" He saw Acxa get uncomfortable with the mentions of the fight. From his dealings with her in the past, he knew she was a lot like him. Rather not speak about their emotions to anyone, but keep it inside. "I'm sorry I shouldn't have asked a personal question." 

But she had placed her hand on top of his "No it's fine." She looked down, not wanting him to see the look on her face "They meant exactly what they meant." He tilted his head a little "When?" She sighed, "Ever since the Weblum I have felt drawn to you for some reason. It started when you freed me from my ship's cockpit. No one in their right mind would have gone out of their way to help a stranded Galra." Keith smiled at her, "Being raised by a firefighter back on Earth, it was the right thing to do." She placed her hand close to his, "I see. But what intrigued me the most about you was what you did after." 

He looked at her, puzzled, "When I trained your blaster on you?" She looked up at him and smiled, "Yes." Really puzzled now, all he could manage was, "Okay?" Acxa pulled her blaster out of her Legging armor compartment and handed it to him. It hummed to life at her touch and stayed humming in his hand. "You see, weapons in the Empire were designed to work with only Galra bio-signatures or Galra mechs. To keep occupied worlds under control. When you did that it told me that you were Galra." 

Keith is still looking at the blaster, "I see." He gently handed it to her, "That was not too long after I found out I was half, if not part Galra. We had just met Kolivan at the Blade of Marmora headquarters and I went through the trials." He pulled his blade out, which extended into its sword version. "I was in a bad spot where I was still reeling from the revelation that 'Hey kid, even though you were born and raised on Earth you are part of an alien race you are currently fighting against." 

Acxa turned her head a little "Is that why you made that parting comment?" Keith's eyes went wide, and he looked down in shame, "Yes, I am sorry for saying it to. I wanted to prove to Allura that not all Galra was as she said, so when you pulled your blaster one last time my temper got the best of me." 

Acxa "As much as it stung, I forgave you for saying it. I received comments like that and worse ones since I was indoctrinated into the Galra Military. But in someway it imbedded in me to prove you wrong, just the stars weren't lined up to do so. Lotor, Zarkon, Haggar, if they found out, then I more than likely have suffered a horrible fate." 

The two of them continued talking for a while, losing track of the time they spoke of their lives before they knew of the war and what they did when their paths didn’t cross. Throughout what must have been three hours, they had started holding hands without realizing it. Only jumping up and apart from when Krolia followed by the rest came in. Acxa had a purplish-blue blush to her face, and Keith had a slightly reddish-purple blush to his face, “I’ll take the wolf to the closest water source while you get debriefed.” Acxa patted the wolf and coaxed him to follow her. As soon as she left his sight, wolf limping following her, “Okay give it to me.”

Keith sat where Acxa had previously sat with his arms crossed. Each of the other Paladins sat in the spots represented of their places as Voltron. Shiro stood next to Hunk and Coran next to Allura. Both Romelle and Krolia stood behind Keith.

Keith sighed, bracing for whatever news he may get, "Hunk, Coran?" Hunk cleared his voice a little "Coran and I were able to get limited auxiliary power to one of the buildings. We are still working getting the communications console and array operational." "How long?" Hunk gave the floor to Coran, "Approximately a day or two." "Get right on it, we need to get in touch with our allies. Let them know we are still alive." 

Keith turned his head to his second in command, "Lance, Shiro?" Lance leaned forward on his left leg. "Some good and the bad. The good news is Shiro and I found some outdated food stores and a viable source of water. But the bad news, we couldn't salvage any medical supplies. Whoever was here when the base was operational took or used everything." Lance looked to Shiro. "We moved enough stores to last maybe a month. But the water we are going to have to load each individual lion up when they are charged enough."

Keith turned his head to Pidge, "I have come up with a possible solution. If we can find enough solar cells, we may be able to use them to help charge the lions Auxiliary batteries enough to just barely make it to the halfway mark." As if sensing his next question, "It would take nearly a week for each individual lion to charge." 

He looked to Allura, "Romelle and I have gone through the lions evaluating what we have found. With the exception of Kaltenaker, if we stretch the stores to 1 or 2 meals a day we would just last two maybe two and a half weeks. Add what Shiro and Lance obtained we won't have to worry about food for at least a month. But we will be back at square one." Romelle tapped his shoulder, causing him to look up at her. "As for medical supplies, we managed to allocate not just the healing pod into the Blue lion but what medical supplies we could find. Most of it is for minor injuries, so we think we should use the healing pod when needed."

He turned his head to look at his mother. Just the look on her face told him everything he needed to know. She had no luck contacting the Blades. Keith thought for a few seconds before telling everyone what they needed to do next. The Paladins started getting to work on their tasks at hand, with Coran, Pidge, and Hunk telling them what to do. 

The Paladins eventually got a hold of someone in the Rebels over the next few days. They passed word on to the Coalition in which they were briefly filled in on the situation around the Universe. 

They were informed that Captain Olia and a Coalition freighter could be there within a movement. Which was fine, they weren't going anywhere anytime soon. Blue was designated the Medical Emergency Lion, due to Allura's ability and the Healing Pod being hardwired into it, so it had to charge first. 

Then came Hunk's Lion, which was designated the commissary - also being a chef made more sense than all salvaged food, excluding snacks or rations be stored in his lion. Due to their smaller stature, Green and Red charged at the same time, taking half the time of Blue and Yellow.

With Black being the largest of the lions, he would take the longest to charge, so Keith decided Black would be last. He didn't mind. Keith had some training to do, not just with his mother, training with her never stopped! He was a Blade Legacy member, meaning he was one of the few that would potentially be selected to replace her as a Senior Operative or as Blade Leader when it came time for her or even Kolivan to step down or name a successor. But learning that Lance, of all people, now started wielding a sword, he felt it would be good practice for Lance both on the ground or as Voltron.

As Allura's lion charged, she noticed Krolia was still taking an interest in her lion. Keith had explained to Allura that she and his father use to guard Blue before and after he was born when she was on Earth. Both women were warming up to each other, slowly, but surely. But Krolia was still an enigma to her, whereas Krolia being a senior operative, could read her like a book. 

She still had some feelings for Keith, but the jealousy of him spending his time getting to know Acxa was festering in her. They saw the two half breeds talking to each other more candidly; both seemed relatively happy. Even Keith's Tlvdatsi Wolf had taken quite the shine to her when the only ones who were able to touch him were Pidge, Coran, and Romelle. 

Allura saw Keith and Acxa every once and a while throw uncertain glances at each other like they use to do something that hurt Allura significantly. Even after she became a Paladin, she tried stealing such looks from him, but he was more... reserved. He'd throw one to her maybe a couple of times a week, but after he started learning under Kolivan, his attitudes changed. He wasn't the same Keith.

"It makes sense if you think of it..." Allura responded with "hmmm?" coming out of her world. She looked to Krolia, puzzled. "Those two," she gestured, nodding her head "she can provide him something none of us can. Allura looked towards the two of them. "He told me during his fight with Shiro's clone his Galra genetics kicked in a little. Suggesting he may go through a change. She can help him with the change when it occurs... Something his father and I never considered because he was so... human-looking."

Allura looked at her; she was still looking at her son and his potential mate with immense motherly pride. "But why her Madam Krolia? I could have helped him." She glanced at Allura with a gentle motherly but stern look," With all due respect princess, you had lost that right. You see he is exactly like his father," a sad smirk appeared on her face as she looked to the ground, "Kogane men when they fall for someone they put their entire heart in the hands of the woman they call for. Trevor, his father could have turned me over to the Earth authorities and be done with me, but he fell head over heels for me, even though I was a "purple alien chick" standing nearly 7 feet tall. I was HIS purple alien chick, as the lingo goes where he was.” She sighed. 

"Remember I told you I saw your reaction to him being part Galra during our time in the Quantum Abyss? I understand your hatred towards my people, but your hatred towards him not only broke his heart but his confidence and self-worth. I saw it and felt it as if I were him. He had true feelings for you, but it all disappeared after his trials." Krolia looked to the blue-skinned woman, "You have no idea how alone he felt, what dark thoughts ran through his head. As his mother, it pained me feeling such thoughts come from his perspective. This is one of the reasons he took that Suicide Mission to Central Command, why he had left the Voltron-Force for the Blades and why he was so reckless on some missions he barely survived." 

Allura looked down in shame, "I... I had no idea. But why are you being so forward with me?" Krolia places a hand on her shoulder, briefly looked at her then at her son “I have to admit after learning what you did to him enraged me to the point I wanted to confront you about it, but not only did he make me promise not to, but quite honestly I didn’t need to.” Both women looked back to Acxa, Allura got the gist of the message.

Krolia looked to Allura again with a sympathetic look, "I know it hurts, especially after Lotor, and you want to look out for him. But the best thing we can do for him is to give them their space, for now. They’ve got things to work out.”

The final night before Captain Olia arrived with four other Rebel Ships, Keith sat contemplating the future. Every one of his traveling party except his wolf who lay at his feet. He sat there, staring into the fire. He didn't even notice she walked up to him. Even though his father died in a fire trying to save more people, he was taught by him always to respect the power of fire and admire the beauty it had.

He felt a soft clawed hand on his shoulder, snapping him out of his daze. "Shouldn't you be sleeping?" He smiled at her, "I can't sleep. Too much is on my mind." Her hand lingered on his shoulder before she sat down next to him. "Shouldn't you be asleep too?" Acxa shrugged, "Couldn't sleep myself."

Over them, in one part of the sky, they could see shooting stars, another part heat lightning, and the two moon-like planetoids chasing one another. They continued their conversation, which they were unable to do from when they first landed. Around what felt like three in the morning to his human body, northern lights danced through the night sky. Unlike Earth, which had mostly greens and yellows, the lights on this planet purples blues and reds. 

Catching their attention the most was the nearby water supply. It was naturally glowing in response to the northern lights. Both half-breeds delighted and marveled at the cosmic and terrestrial display presented before them. Holding each other's hands, they cautiously and nervously brought their heads together. Rubbing them together, they released a soft intimate purr-like growl from both their throats. 

His wolf looked at them cocking its head, staring at them for a couple of seconds before laying his head back down grunting. Even though it was a private occasion between the three of them, two others had heard the proclamation to one another. One whose chances with him ended leaving her thinking “what have I done?”, and one who was delighted at the _Jhuk’ uhn’ dac_ her son claimed and got to know a little better from their time on the Planet and the visions during their time in the Quantum Abyss. A strong warrior bloodline would reach the next generation, something which every Galra hopes for. 

That morning even though everything was happening so fast, it was going slowly. The lions having been fueled, water deposited, and supplies loaded before being loaded into 5 Rebel ships. Reunions debrief, and farewells were exchanged between family & friends. Still reeling from the proclamation, Allura barely gave Keith a heartfelt smile, she was still hurting on the inside and looked to Lance for the first time in a different light.

Krolia, Romelle, and Keith’s wolf entered the ship Black was in as Matt, Shiro, and Keith discussed courses of action. The Voltron-Force would continue to Earth to replace the Castle. In contrast, the Rebels and Coalition would continue to fight the Warlords that popped up now that the “Fire of Purification” had practically disappeared. Something that unsettled the team, considering the last time they encountered Sendak and his fleet was at the Omega-Shield, three years ago.

Keith noticed Matt’s demeanor change and saw Acxa standing where they had sat only hours before. There was still tension between the two was thick, he still didn’t forgive or forget her role in the prisoner exchange for his father that made Lotor Emperor… briefly. Keith took his helmet, revealing a ponytail, something he never really liked putting his hair into and a braid that started behind his ear. He replayed the final bit of the night in his mind as he looked at her with his naked eyes:

_“I know we are now considered bonded in Galra traditions, but as weird as this will sound,”_ He pulled nearly all of his hair into a ponytail, leaving a long clump of hair _“but could you braid this bit of hair?”_ She had looked at him a little weird, _“Sure, but why?”_ He smiled as she got up and started doing a lovely long braid, trying her best not to scratch his neck. _“The people my father was descended from said that once a woman selects her man, she and only she may touch his hair. If it is braided it signifies he is theirs and no longer available.”_

He placed his helmet on the ground and walked up to Acxa, puzzling Matt a little. He understood that they were both Galra mixes. But when they put their heads together, kissed, and in an embrace, they hugged each other tightly, and Matt was speechless. He turned to Shiro, who merely shrugged and walked onto the ship that had Green loaded in, Matt and N7’s ship. 

He could feel her tremble in her grip. He could tell what her stoic resolve was hiding. When she thought he died, she had gone to a dark place when she was considering ending her life just to see him, in _Grelokore_. Something she wasn't ready to share with him yet. She placed her hands on his chest, pulled close to him. 

He wrapped his around her as he did with Allura, but with purpose rather than reaction. "I wish you were coming with us instead of staying here." Acxa placed her head on his shoulder "I wish I were too, but I must make up for my past demons... Just promise you will return to me." Keith broke his hug and kissed her one last time before touching their foreheads together again, "I promise."

With that, they broke their embrace "Goodbye my Paladin, stay alive on your journeys." His somber smile disappeared. "Farewell, for now, stay strong until we are together again." With that, he turned and started walking towards Matt and the ship that had Black. When he walked past Matt, he saw a look of utter disbelief looking at him and then Acxa, "Dude..." Keith merely stopped and turned his head slightly after picking his helmet up, "What?" 

Acxa watches her half-breed _Grek' uhn dak_ and human colleague walk and say something to each other. She saw them stop, and the human that is known as Matt glance back to her briefly and back at him and nodded at something. They then broke away and went to their respective ships. She wrapped her arms around her stomach, her anxiety that this may be the last time she sees him starting to take over. 

She watches somberly as the five ships carrying the Universe's best hope to peace lifted off. As the ships lifted off, that same feeling of loneliness started waving over her. She, however, had a reason to stay strong. She sighed, walking back into her cave, but what she found surprised her.

There was a red, white, and yellow jacket lying on her bed. She walked over to it and picked it up, getting a waft of his scent. He had purposely left it there for her, merely asking that she wear it next time they met. She rushed back out to see the ships finally disappear in the sky, clutching the jacket to her chest.

With the sense of loneliness setting in again, she clutched the jacket even tighter. But in that loneliness, she was given a reason to stay strong. It would be trying times ahead for both of them, but they were determined to stop at nothing to ensure their next reunion.

As months went on, Acxa never lost sight of her goal of staying strong for Keith. After the Voltron-Force had rendezvous with the Coalition, they went on their way towards Earth after getting the appropriate resources needed for such a journey. Star charts, supplies, and the lions adequately charged. Keith and Krolia introduced as his mother both vouched for Acxa to get a reassignment on Olkarion with Ryner, the Olkari leader. 

Weeks after her reassignment, she bumped into Krolia on Olkarion. She wore the traditional Blade of Marmora uniform for high ranking members rather than the Galra Empire armor she wore months before. Expecting to see Keith but dashed when filled in on what happened. Hopes dashed the senior member then told her that they would be reunited, she just needed to be strong and have faith.

As fate would have it several months later, the two women were on their way to Earth. Krolia had received word that Sendak had taken the "Fires of Purification" to Earth. It turns out he had absorbed a commander who had brief but intimate knowledge of the Sol System, the system the Galra called X-95-Vox, that encountered the Blue Lion nearly five years ago. It was a couple of days for a massive fleet to assemble between the remnants of the Blade of Marmora, and what ships both the Rebel Fighters and Coalition could spare. On the bridge of a Coalition ship, she with the only other two people this side of the Universe who knew what Earth was like. She only thought, _“I am on my way my beloved to save your skin... again, please be safe until then…”_

**Author's Note:**

> I hope you have enjoyed reading this as I have enjoyed writing it. I've wanted to do this story for a very long time, well since I did "The Future." 
> 
> My goal when I set out to do this fic was to articulate that relationships between two Warriors (Keith & Acxa) are far different than any of the other ships or official relationships in the series. Pretty much the same argument I have made for Raphael and Y'gythgba aka Mona Lisa of the 2012 Nickelodeon TMNT series. Unfortunately, Kacxa never got as much traction for... APPARENT REASONS... like RaMona-2012
> 
> I wanted to start out with Keith's demeanor around Allura from Season 1 to their strained relationship from Season-2 on to end. Then transition into Acxa's point of view and how these two couldn't explain the attraction that drew their paths together. 
> 
> I even threw in that confrontation between Krolia and Allura we Keith Fans wanted since we first saw Mom. But I decided I wanted to make it about Allura's attitudes and jealousy towards Keith & Acxa.
> 
> Please don't take this completely as an Allura bashing fic, yes I am an OG Voltron fan since 84 and so wanted the Kallura tradition to continue, but after her reaction in season 2, I couldn't support it for this series. It has taken the fics of other writers for me to even start warming up to the Legendary Defender version of Allura, so please don't take this <>solely<> as an Allura bashing fic.
> 
> I could have kept going to include their time on Earth, Atlas, and post final battle, but I decided that the ending I have was the most appropriate in terms of the two characters and the canon itself.
> 
> **References:**  
>  Kacxa-Weeks referenced via terms listed in the summary  
> Old Friends Reunited (my first Voltron fan-fic) referenced by "Old Friend"
> 
> **Songs listened to for inspiration and for writing:**  
>  Paul Haslinger - Eternity and a Day - Underworld & Underworld Evolution  
> Whitesand - Circle of Life - Swamp Thing (2019) fan-vid which has since been taken down :(  
> Yoko Kanno - Spotter (2:20 mark to 4:22 mark) - Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex  
> This Will Destroy You - The Mighty Rio Grande - Lethal Weapon series (Riggs & Miranda scenes)  
> Hans Zimmer & Junkie XL - This is My World (1:08 mark to 3:51 mark) Batman v Superman  
> Timothy B Schmitt - Love Will Keep Us Alive - Eagles  
> (Everything I Do) I Do it For You - Bryan Adams  
> Don't Let Go - Bryan Adams  
> Bruce Springsteen - Secret Garden
> 
> I know weird songs to be inspired for a Kacxa fic, but certain scenes require certain tones. Besides these are just some of the songs I feel best describe Kacxa in a nutshell.


End file.
